As water scarcity tightens its grip across the United States, ranchers are among those feeling the strain most acutely. With projections showing that 40 out of 50 U.S. states could face freshwater shortages within the next half-century, and some regions potentially losing up to a third of their supply, the implications for agriculture and food security are profound.
Ranchers, who rely heavily on consistent access to water for livestock and crops, are already battling the early signs of a deepening crisis: decreasing rainfall, rising temperatures, more frequent and intense droughts, and an alarming rise in water demand. These challenges are further compounded by aging infrastructure, with a water main breaking somewhere in the U.S. every two minutes.
Andrew Coppin, CEO and Co-Founder of Ranchbot, an agtech company helping modernize ranch operations through smart water monitoring technology, says the situation is both urgent and under-addressed.
“Water is a scarce and often under-appreciated resource in agriculture. No one understands that more than Ranchers, who are acutely aware of the importance of water conservation in rangelands. Cattle and crop producers are the first to be affected by weather volatility and are continually looking for solutions to save and better manage precious water resources.”
Ranchbot’s technology was developed to meet that need. Using remote sensors and satellite connectivity, the system allows ranchers to track water levels, flow rates, and pump performance in real-time, no matter how remote their land may be. With alerts sent directly to a user’s phone or computer, producers can address leaks, outages, and inefficiencies immediately, saving time and preventing costly losses.
“It’s critical to have solutions that alert them immediately when they have a problem with water levels, water quantity, wells and pumps. Ultimately healthier infrastructure means healthier livestock and better crops.”
This kind of digital oversight is proving essential as climate pressures mount. Already, shrinking lakes, depleted reservoirs, and erratic rainfall are transforming landscapes from Montana to New Mexico. The 2021 and 2022 droughts in the West forced thousands of ranchers to sell off herds due to water and feed shortages, a trend that could worsen as warming patterns accelerate.
At the same time, population growth is increasing competition for water in both urban and rural areas. Municipalities, industry, and agriculture are all drawing from the same sources, putting even more stress on aquifers and rivers that are already stretched thin. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, demand for water is expected to rise by at least 25% over the next 30 years.
Despite the clear risks, investment in water infrastructure has lagged. Much of the country’s water system is more than 50 years old, and many rural communities lack the tools to detect problems before they turn into full-blown crises. That’s where agtech leaders like Ranchbot see both an opportunity and a responsibility.
The urgency of innovation in water management isn’t lost on ranchers themselves. With razor-thin margins and increasing environmental volatility, they are among the earliest adopters of new tools that promise resilience and efficiency. Ranchbot, which operates in both the U.S. and Australia, has seen rising demand for its solutions as producers look to secure their operations against future disruptions.
As the U.S. stares down a drier, hotter future, it’s clear that the people managing our food supply are also becoming stewards of an increasingly precious resource. If they are given the tools to adapt, America’s ranchers might just help lead the way in preserving it.
About Andrew Coppin and Ranchbot
As the co-founder and CEO of Ranchbot, Andrew is helping ranchers across the USA use remote monitoring solutions to optimize their water management and operations. He is also the co-founder and managing director of Farmbot, a pioneer in IoT of Ag that has changed the face of water management in rural Australia and the world.
